Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

utterances VS Gitalk

Compare utterances VS Gitalk and see what are their differences

utterances logo utterances

A lightweight comments widget built on GitHub issues.

Gitalk logo Gitalk

A modern comment component based on Github Issue and Preact.
  • utterances Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-30
  • Gitalk Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-29

utterances features and specs

  • GitHub Authentication
    Utterances uses GitHub issues for comments, meaning users authenticate via GitHub. This can reduce spam and ensures that commenters have a verified identity.
  • Lightweight and Fast
    Utterances is designed to be lightweight and load quickly, benefiting site performance and user experience.
  • Markdown Support
    Since it leverages GitHub issues, users can write comments in Markdown, which many developers and technical users appreciate.
  • GitHub Integration
    Comments are managed through GitHub issues, making them easy to track, moderate, and integrate into your development workflow.
  • Open Source
    Utterances is open source, allowing developers to review the code, contribute, and customize it to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of utterances

  • Dependency on GitHub
    Comments are entirely reliant on GitHub's infrastructure, which means any downtime or issues with GitHub services can affect the commenting system.
  • Limited to GitHub Users
    Only users with GitHub accounts can comment, which may exclude or discourage participation from users who are not developers or familiar with GitHub.
  • No Anonymity
    Because commenting requires a GitHub account, users cannot comment anonymously, which might be a drawback for some communities.
  • Moderation Complexity
    Moderating comments requires managing GitHub issues, which can be cumbersome compared to dedicated comment moderation tools.
  • Feature Limitations
    Utterances is relatively simple and lacks advanced features found in other commenting systems, like rich media support, voting, or detailed analytics.

Gitalk features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis of utterances

Overall verdict

  • Utterances is generally considered a good option for integrating a commenting system.

Why this product is good

  • It is lightweight and doesn't add significant loading time to web pages.
  • Utterances uses GitHub issues to store comments, which integrates well for projects already using GitHub for version control.
  • Installation is straightforward, making it easy to implement on static sites, particularly those generated with Jekyll or Hugo.
  • The comments are stored on GitHub's infrastructure, which is reliable and robust.

Recommended for

  • Developers and bloggers already using GitHub for project hosting.
  • Technical blogs and sites generated with static site generators like Jekyll or Hugo.
  • Users who prefer a minimalistic and efficient commenting system over more feature-rich alternatives.
  • Those looking for an open-source, privacy-friendly commenting solution.

Analysis of Gitalk

Overall verdict

  • Gitalk is a solid, lightweight commenting solution for static sites and blogs, leveraging GitHub Issues to store comments. It's free, open-source, and easy to integrate, making it a great choice for developers who want a simple, ad-free comment system without managing a backend.

Why this product is good

  • Free and open-source, with no hosting costs since comments are stored in GitHub Issues
  • Lightweight and easy to integrate into static sites, blogs, and GitHub Pages
  • No ads or tracking, unlike some third-party commenting services like Disqus
  • Supports Markdown, making comments rich and developer-friendly
  • Comments are backed by GitHub authentication, reducing spam from anonymous users
  • Data ownership stays with you since everything lives in your GitHub repository

Recommended for

  • Developers running static site blogs (Jekyll, Hugo, Hexo, etc.)
  • GitHub Pages users who want a native-feeling comment system
  • Technical audiences who already have GitHub accounts
  • Privacy-conscious site owners who want to avoid ad-based comment platforms
  • Small to medium personal blogs and documentation sites

utterances videos

SEMANTICS-7: Utterances, Sentences & Propositions

Gitalk videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to utterances and Gitalk)
Social Networks
90 90%
10% 10
Project Management
90 90%
10% 10
Feedback
100 100%
0% 0
Spreadsheets
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, utterances seems to be a lot more popular than Gitalk. While we know about 53 links to utterances, we've tracked only 1 mention of Gitalk. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

utterances mentions (53)

  • Adding Giscus Comments to Next.js Blog Pages
    Utterances: **The primary inspiration for giscus. It uses **GitHub Issues instead of Discussions to store comments. It is extremely lightweight but does not support threaded replies as natively as giscus. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • [TIL][Jekyll] Replacing Disqus with utterances for GitHub issue comments
    Title: [TIL][Jekyll] Removing Disqus and switching to utteranc to use github issue as article comments Published: false Date: 2021-05-14 00:00:00 UTC Tags: Canonical_url: http://www.evanlin.com/jekyll-remove-disqus/ --- ![](http://www.evanlin.com/images/2021/github_comment.jpg) ## Preface: ![](https://jekyllrb.com/img/jekyll-og.png) The escalation of the pandemic disrupted the original travel plans, but... - Source: dev.to / over 5 years ago
  • Add Utterances Comment System in Next.js App in App Router
    'use client'; Import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'; Const Comments = ({ issueTerm }) => { const commentsSection = useRef(null); useEffect(() => { const script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://utteranc.es/client.js'; script.async = true; script.crossOrigin = 'anonymous'; script.setAttribute('repo', 'shade-cool/article'); script.setAttribute('issue-term',... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Converting BlogCFC blog to Eleventy
    Handling New Comments: There are excellent lightweight comment utilities available for managing comments on your eleventy blog. I personally use Utterances, but Giscus is also a great alternative. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Unleash Your Dev Blog: Write More with GitHub Issues as Your CMS
    We can use utteranc.es, a lightweight comment widget built on GitHub Issues to integrate authed comments in our blog. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
View more

Gitalk mentions (1)

What are some alternatives?

When comparing utterances and Gitalk, you can also consider the following products

DISQUS - Disqus is a global comment system that improves discussion on websites and connects conversations across the web.

Commentics - Commentics is an advanced PHP comment script with many features.

giscus - A comments system powered by GitHub Discussions. Let visitors leave comments and reactions on your website via GitHub!

Cusdis - Open-source, lightweight comment system for your website

Commento - A fast, bloat-free comments system to foster discussion on your website

ReplyBox - ReplyBox, a simple, honest comment system. No ads, no dodgy affiliate links, no fluff.